The Physical Geography of Russia

1. The Physical Geography of Russia Chapter 14

5. The Land

6. A Vast and Varied Land • World’s largest country • 6,200 miles • 11 times zones • 9 mountain ranges • 13 seas

7. Mountains and Plateaus • Ural Mountains – separate European Russia from Asian Russia • Small mountains but with iron ore, oil, natural gas, etc. • Caucasus Mountains – Southwest, Mount Elbrus 18,510 feet • Central Siberian Plateau • Kanchatka Peninsula – 100 volcanoes (23 active), as low as -90 degrees

8. Plains • North European Plain – poorly drained, so many swamps and lakes • South portion has rich black soil (chernozem) which supports wheat, rye, oats • 75% of population live here • West Siberian Plain – one of worlds largest flat areas • Many swamps and marshes

9. Coasts, Seas, and Lakes • Longest coastline in the world (23,000 miles) • Not many seaports b/c of freezing • Warm air along Black Sea – fishing thrives there • Caspian Sea – largest inland body of water in world (actually a lake) • Lake Baikal – 400 miles long , deepest freshwater lake in world • Hold 20% of world’s freshwater!!!!

10. Rivers • Long rivers, and many provide electric power • Most rivers are in Siberia, so European Russians often face water shortages • The Volgar River – connect Moscow and Caspian Sea. Frozen half year, but provides hydroelectric power • Becoming polluted • Siberian Rivers – rivers sources melt before mouths causing flooding

11. Natural Resources • Minerals and Energy – • Mineral fuels • 16% of world’s coal reserve • Most DRY natural gas in world • Nickel, aluminum, gemstones, sulfur, tungsten • Soil and Forest • 10% of land can have agriculture • Black Earth Belt • 1/5 of world’s forests, but shrinking faster than amazon

12. Russia’s fishing industry • HUGE • Sturgeon being illegally hunted for caviar

13. Climate and Vegetation Section 2

14. Russia’s climates and Vegetation • Long, cold winters and short, cool summers • Eastern Siberia is coldest • High-latitude climates – • -30 to 64 degrees, little rain • Tundra – above arctic circle and stays dark, 10% of Russia • Subarctic – most of Russia, • Taiga – forest belt, covers 2/5 of European Russian into Siberia (size of US)

17. Living in Cold Climate • Heating • Specials metals • Water supply

18. Mid-latitude climates – most people live here • Humid Continental – 9-21 in Jan. 56-75 in July • Most of European Russia • Descent growing • War and Winter • Napoleon in 1812 and Germans in WWII

19. Steppe – located between Black and Caspian Seas • Slightly warmer, and winters are not nearly as harsh

20. The Cultural Geography of Russia Chapter 15

21. Population Patterns Section1

22. Russia’s Ethnic Diversity • Ethnic Groups – share common ancestry, language, religion, customs, etc. • Ethnic Regions – • Nationalities • 1991 – 32 ethnic groups have own republics or administrative territories within Russia

23. The Slavs – • Ethnic Russians including Poles, Serbs, Ukrainians, etc. • Dominate politics and culture • Practice Eastern Orthodoxy • Mostly speak Russian

24. Turkic Peoples • Second largest ethnic group • Around Caucasus Area and Volga area • Mostly Muslim, but considered Trukic by language • Tatars is biggest groups of Turks • 1994 – Russia gave Tatarstan limited sovereignty (self-rule)

25. Caucasian People • Near Caucasus region of southeastern Russia • Mostly Muslim • Speak Russian but with different dialect • Demand self-rule

26. Population Density and Distribution • Population and the Environment • 6th largest population • Near 150 mill people. 22 people per square mile • 75% live between Belarus and Ukraine and Ural Mountains (120 per sq. mile) • Moscow is the major industrial city

27. Population trends • During Soviet Era, many moved to non-Russian republics • After 1991, begin to return • Life expectancy has declined because of lack of health care

28. History and Government Section 2

29. Early Peoples and States • History begins around 600AD • Slavs settled in North European Plain • Divided • West Slaves became the Poles, Czechs, and Slavaks • South Slavs were Bulgarians, Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes • East Slavs were Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians

30. KievanRus • 800 AD, Scandinavian warriors called the Varangianas cam and adopted language and customs. • Built city-states known as KievanRus • Popular trading routes • 1200s, Mongol invaders from Central Asia took over and rules 200 years

31. The Rise of Russia • When the Mongols overran Keiv, many Slavs fled to Moskva River (Moscow) with trade routes and good farming • Muscovy kept peace with Mongols, but the princes became powerful and began refusing to pay Mongols and drive them out. • Prince IVAN III (the Great) gathered the lands and created Russia • 1533, Ivan IV became first czar (supreme ruler) and became known as Ivan the Terrible.

32. Romanov dynasty took over in 1613, and by then, peasants were serfs, a virtually enslaved workforces bound to the land and under the control of the nobility.

33. Romanov Czars • Fell behind in science and technology, but Peter the Great came to modernize (1600s) • Russia majorily expanded including territory and trade • St. Petersburg was capital • 1700s – Catherine the Great, adapted European ways (spoke French) • But this put a divide between nobility and peasants.

34. The Russian Revolution • 1800s – reform needed, government tyrannical, peasants hurting • Czar Alexander II freed surfs…but not well thoughtout • Russification – speak Russian and be Eastern Orthodox • Socialism – a belief that calls for greater economic quality in society. Spurred by Karl Marx • Believed everyone should be equal and receive equal wealth…thought it would end the power of the wealthy • By 1900s, rioting…going against Czar Nicholas II

35. The Soviet Era • 1917, representative government, but didn’t have much control • Bolsheviks seized control and implemented Communism. • Communism – a philosophy based on Karl Marx’s ideas that called for the violent overthrow of government and the creation of a new society led by workers. • Pulled out of WWI, but took control of everything in land • Civil War

36. The Soviet Union • Bolsheviks won the civil war. Now known as Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) • Moscow now capital • Lenin dies, Stalin takes over. Makes USSR major industrial giant • People died by hunger and labor camps • Killed all who threatened him and his power

37. A Superpower • WWII, fighting Germany. 27 mill Russians die • Soviet Union controlled much of Eastern Europe (1945) • Satellites countries – East Germany, Poland, Hungary, etc. • Next 4 decades, Cold War between USSR and US – fight between Communism and Capitalism

38. The Soviet Breakup • 1800s, Communism failing • 1985 – Mikhail Gorbachev wanted Communist reform – created perestroika (economic reconstruction) and Glasnost (political openness) • Soviet republics begin to declare independence • Boris Yeltsin (first democratically elected president)m tried to stop continued uprising of communism

39. A New Russia • Yeltsin assumed leadership • Bad economy • Ethnic conflicts • Moving from command economy o market economy

40. Cultures and Lifestyles Chapter 15 section 3

41. Religion in Russia • Eastern Orthodox Church vital to Russia before Communism • Communism promoted atheism • Relaxed religious laws…but now becoming more strict again.

42. Christianity in Russia • 988, Prince Vladimir adopted Eastern Orthodox Christianity • By 1453, simply Orthodox Christianity • Hurt during Communism but making comeback • Churches being fixed • Has a patriarch and icons

43. Islam • Southern Regions of Russia • Mostly Sunni sect, such as most Arab countries

44. Judaism • Very persecuted • Could hardly have land • Pogroms – organized persecution and massacres • During Communism, migrated to Israel or US

45. Buddhism • Near the Caspian Sea and near Lake Baikal • ½ Million Buddhists

46. Education • 100% literacy rate in urban areas • Soviet emphasis on free but mandatory eduction • Favored military, science and engineering study verse language, history, and literature. • Intelligentsia – educators, writers, artists. • Doctors, teachers, etc are little paid • Education changed after Communism • Students can choose their type of school • Schools are overcrowded and in disrepair

47. Health Care • Disease and lifestyle helped lower life expectancy • Births are dangerous and many diseases • Healthcare is horrible. Doctors quit to become taxi drivers!

48. The Arts • Love art, music, and writing • Dangerous to express yourself • 1600s, found inspiration in religion

49. IlyaRepin